Wednesday, 4 February 2026

 Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (14:31): My question is to the Premier. Productivity Commission data shows Victoria is the only mainland state with decreased real police funding, down 3.7 per cent since 2021, while every other state has increased funding. Why should the safety of Victorians be compromised because this government cannot manage money?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:32): The Leader of the Opposition is wrong. For the benefit of the member for Brighton, that is the start of my direct answer to her question, and I will now go through the details why. As I said to the house yesterday, Victoria has the largest police force of any state or territory because we back the front line. We back the work of the men and women of Victoria Police. So I repeat for the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition, just in case she is ready to run out there with a bit of misinformation: the question is wrong.

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, I believe the Premier is debating the question, which was about Productivity Commission data, which the Minister for Health has just quoted herself.

The SPEAKER: The Premier is not debating the question.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Nationals! Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, this is your last warning.

Jacinta ALLAN: The Leader of the Opposition is struggling to manage her own outfit, let alone asking me questions about the Victoria Police force.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Manager of Opposition Business, I have repeatedly asked you to cease interjecting across the table when you rise to make a point of order. Through the Chair.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker: relevance.

The SPEAKER: The Premier will come back to her answer.

Jacinta ALLAN: I repeat, because clearly the points of orders that have just been made perhaps show the opposition were not listening. I can understand that; they were talking amongst themselves, planning the next few weeks down on the coast. The assertion the Leader of the Opposition made in her question is wrong. Victoria has the largest –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, it is not relevant to reflect on the Productivity Commission.

The SPEAKER: The Premier to continue. There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: I appreciate those following at home are probably struggling, because we are struggling, to take this outfit seriously, and it demonstrates once again –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Members will come to order. The Premier will be heard in silence. Members will be removed from the chamber for an hour and a half should they interrupt in the short time that is left of question time.

Jacinta ALLAN: I say this very clearly: it is only Labor governments that back Victoria Police, the largest police force in the country, as opposed to a former government that cut $100 million to Victoria Police. It is a Labor government that gives Victoria Police the tools and resources they need. It is a Liberal opposition that undermines the work of Victoria Police at every turn.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Frankston can leave the chamber for an hour and a half.

Member for Frankston withdrew from chamber.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has concluded her answer.

 Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (14:35): Productivity Commission data also shows 33 per cent of Victorians feel unsafe walking alone at night compared to 22 per cent of people in New South Wales. Why should Victorians feel unsafe at night because this government has reduced real funding to Victoria Police?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:36): Again the claim that has been made by the Leader of the Opposition is not correct. We are backing the men and women of Victoria Police. I understand the Leader of the Opposition can sometimes misunderstand. We cannot take these sorts of questions seriously, because they are all about cuts. They are not about backing and investing the work of Victoria Police.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual. This question went to Productivity Commission data. The Premier needs to deal with the factual data, rather than misinform the house.

The SPEAKER: It is an assumption that all members of this house will be factual when they are on their feet.

Jacinta ALLAN: In terms of community safety, our government understands from listening to victims of crime that it is not acceptable that we have too many victims of crime. That is why – from listening to those victims of crime and understanding that there need to be tougher penalties, like adult time for violent crime – we need to see consequences for this sort of behaviour, but at the same time we need to tackle the root causes, which we are doing through the establishment of the violence reduction unit. We will keep this work up by funding and backing Victoria Police and agencies across our justice system.